Poems centered on survival and perseverance in the face of long-term
illness.
Delivered a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia with a ten percent
prognosis for survival, Dr. Dianne Silvestri surrenders her white coat
for a hospital gown. Aided by her attentive medical team, family, and
friends, she navigates the surreal world of chemotherapy, stem cell
transplantation, and subsequent threats from graft-versus-host disease
and serious infections of her compromised immune system.
But I Still Have My Fingerprints speaks to the difficulties of
"surviving survival." With a clear eye for irony and analogy and a
commitment to curiosity and truth, Silvestri writes through her
struggles and victories. She gives us poems with unique perspectives,
fresh images, and unquenchable optimism, in her perseverance to redefine
life beyond what was lost.